The Spanish city cancelled the DR Congo friendly with Chile after health concerns were raised over the Ebola outbreak in the African country.
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s international friendly against Chile in Spain next week has been cancelled after officials raised health concerns over the Ebola outbreak in the African nation.
Juan Franco, mayor of the city of La Línea de la Concepcion, has signed a decree that prevents the June 9 event from proceeding as planned.
The decision was described as a “precautionary measure” and comes following recommendations from the Andalusian Regional Health Service and the municipality’s own medical department.
“A report by the head of the health service of the mayoralty of La Linea clearly advises against hosting the match given the health risks,” Franco said.
La Linea, a coastal resort with a population of about 65,000 people in Cadiz province, close to the Gibraltar border, was due to host the match as both countries continued their preparations for the World Cup.
DR Congo is currently based in Belgium after cancelling a planned pre-tournament training camp in the capital, Kinshasa, due to the Ebola outbreak in the east of the country.
BBC Sport understands that no DR Congo players –
who play for clubs outside the country have recently visited their homeland, but few support staff and fans have flown in from there.
DR Congo is scheduled to face Denmark in a friendly match in Liège on Wednesday.
The US public health agency has banned the entry of non-Americans who have been in the DR Congo, Uganda or South Sudan in the past 21 days, in response to the Ebola outbreak.
The outbreak in eastern DR Congo is caused by a rare strain of Ebola known as Bundibugyo.
There is currently no vaccine for this species and the World Health Organization has said that it could take up to nine months for a vaccine to be ready.
DR Congo plans to stay in Houston during the tournament and is scheduled to open their group campaign against Portugal on June 17, marking their first World Cup qualification since 1974.
They will then travel to the Mexican city of Guadalajara to face Colombia before returning to the United States to take on Uzbekistan in Atlanta.
